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Minister Blackburn Pays Tribute to Canadians Workers on Labour Day

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 31, 2007) - On the first Monday of September, workers in Canada will celebrate Labour Day. In marking the occasion, the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, praised workers in Canada for their work while recognizing the important contribution that they make to the national economy and to Canadian society.

"I would like to pay tribute to all the working men and women in Canada who, every day, strive to make their place of work safe, fair and productive," said Minister Blackburn. "Thanks to their efforts and commitment, our economy and our country continue to thrive. We all benefit from their efforts."

Over the past year, Canada has made progress on a number of initiatives to enhance protection for workers, including the Wage Earner Protection Program, which is currently before the Senate, regulatory amendments to address ergonomics issues in workplaces, and amendments to the Non-smokers' Health Act to ban smoking rooms in federally regulated workplaces. Equally, at the international level, the federal government continues to actively promote respect for fundamental labour standards and workers' rights.

The objective of the Labour Program at Human Resources and Social Development Canada is to promote a fair, healthy, inclusive and cooperative work environment. Through its programs and services, the Labour Program assists workers and employers and supports modern, innovative workplaces.

For additional information on the Labour Program, please visit the Web site at Labour.gc.ca.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

Contact Information

Human Resources and Social Development CanadaMedia Relations Office819-994-5559orOffice of Minister BlackburnEmma Welford819-997-7826